Hilary J.

Hilary teaches

Hilary delivers an exceptional lesson experience and ranks in the top
15% of our teachers nationwide.

Teaches students:

Ages 9+

Teaching since:

August 2006

Hilary is a professional flutist and teacher based in the New York/New Jersey area. Hilary will complete her Doctor of Musical Arts degree in performance at Rutgers University Mason Gross School of the Arts under the instruction of Bart Feller (NJ Symphony Principal Flute) this year. Prior to this, Hilary completed her master's degree in flute performance at New York University and also studied music performance at The Boston Conservatory. Most recently, she earned an advanced performance certificate after completing summer courses with flutist Patrick Gallois at the internationally recognized Accademica Musicale Chigiana in Siena, Italy. She has performed with the New Jersey Symphony, Symphony in C, the National Festival Orchestra, Garden State Philharmonic, and others in venues like Lincoln Center and Symphony Space. She has years of professional teaching experience for all ages and levels and can help any aspiring flutist succeed!

*** Lesson Details ***
My goal with teaching lessons is to give students of any age the practical tools and foundations they need to explore any genre or type of music. From young students just beginning middle school band to adults looking for an engaging hobby, I can help anyone develop their skills and unlock their inner musical talent! I tailor lessons and curriculum to suit each individual's musical goals, and I strive to make lessons fun and experimental for all ages--think of your lessons as a musical laboratory where we will explore and learn together! After 3-6 months of lessons with me, you will have grasped the foundations of flute playing (posture, breathing, basic finger technique, tone production, articulation) and you will have already learned many short pieces of music. You will also possess an understanding of basic music theory. If you are not starting as a beginner, after a few months you can expect to have improved your technique and finger dexterity. You will be producing a clear and unique tone on the flute and exploring the use of color, vibrato, and nuanced phrasing and articulation to make your music come to life.

*** Travel Equipment ***
Students should provide an instrument and a music stand for flute lessons.

Bachelor of Music

Bachelor of Music

I took flute lessons from Hilary at NYU after several years of not playing at all. I was rusty and had accumulated quite a few bad habits, from poor posture to improper breathing. Starting out, part of my difficulty was in forgetting these habits and starting anew. Not only was Hilary very patient with me, but she also taught useful techniques along the way.

I also had a weak foundation in basic music theory, and Hilary's review lessons were incredibly helpful -- I found myself looking at sheet music and playing scales with a completely different mindset. I can honestly say that I improved significantly (and now I even find myself checking my posture when I'm not playing!). After having taken such a long break, I wasn't sure whether I'd want to start playing again. Hilary's lessons and supportive attitude helped renew my interest and for that I'll always be grateful!

Hilary is an amazing teacher with a ton of knowledge about flute performance. During my time with her, my playing and musicality improved drastically. She has a lot of flute-playing metaphors up her sleeve that make it easy to understand more complicated techniques.

I took flute lessons with Hilary during my senior year at NYU. I had never played flute before in my life, but I had gotten one as a gift and decided I might as well try and learn. I was very lucky to have chosen Hilary as my teacher!

I had taken music lessons in varying instruments every single semester while at NYU, and Hilary was easily the most memorable and enjoyable teacher I had. While most of my music teachers made our lessons seem like another class, Hilary's passion, excitement, and humor made learning the flute a fun adventure that I looked forward to each week.

In our first lesson, she was able to show me exercises and techniques that got me further in my flute playing than months of trying to teach myself online. In just a few weeks, I knew more than I was expecting to by the end of the whole semester, and I was rewarded by being able to play short but beautiful flute music.

If there was ever a time when I was having trouble with a particular concept or technique, Hilary was always able to either clarify it for me, or explain it in an alternate way until I got it. If I ever had any questions - and I had a lot of them - she was always able to answer them.

I not only learned a lot about the flute, but I had fun while doing it, which for me is the best way to learn an instrument. If you are considering taking flute lessons, I highly recommend you take them with Hilary!

I took flute lesson from Hilary for two years, and I was very lucky to be able to take the lesson from her. She is a very devoted teacher, and I was able to improve greatly over the past two years as a result. Very talented and excellent teacher. Definitely recommend taking the lesson from her.